Tangled Web of Fate Part 1
by Camalunas
Summary: Delcesca loses all that's she's ever known and is thrown to the wolves. She's assigned to two Jedi that aren't the happiest to find that she will be tagging along. Will they keep her safe, or must she go back to a home that holds only death?
1. Awkward Meeting

I crouched low to the ground, staying just below the tallest weeds. I needed to keep in my sight the ancient, crumbling ruins on the other side of the clearing. There my target or targets lay hidden from the rest of the world. If I hadn't noticed their ship crossing hastily through the early morning sky two days ago on my daily rounds they would have gone unknown.

I had tracked them over those two days, not finding a trace of them and feeling more and more worthless as each hour droned on. I was afraid that if I didn't find them they would end up attacking my people. I couldn't have that. I wouldn't! Not while I was still alive and able to kick.

I'd almost given up hope when, just this afternoon, my tracker had picked up a faint signal from a small and unmarked ship. I had followed it and it had led me here. The ruins were the perfect place to hide out in. No one but a few hotshot teenagers came out to them. They were unsafe, and a lot of people claimed them to be haunted by vengeful soldiers' spirits.

As I got closer to the ruins my heart began to pound like crazy. I was nervous. There was no telling who or what I was about to ambush, or if anyone was even here. If there was people then there was a small chance that they could be gentle folk who had ran out of fuel early on their trip, but I was willing to bet my life that they were either sent here by Sith Sidieous himself or part of the Confederacy. Just what my father needed. An attack while our nation was weak. We would be crushed. I had to do all that I could to stop that from happening.

I reached the beginning of the ruins and pulled my blaster from its holster. I held it firmly in my hand and silently inched my way forward. My highly trained eyes scanned the area before me. I was looking for the slightest sign of life or movement. Anything that would give them away. Sadly there was nothing to be seen or heard. Whoever was here (or had been here) was being extremely cautious. I felt almost blind as I plunged myself deeper into my unfamiliar surroundings. It was something that didn't sit too well with me.

I was about halfway through when I thought about giving up on my search. There was no way that they were here if they were part of the Confederacy. If their main objective was my father and my people then they would have set out by now to carry their evil deeds. I was running on my stubborn pride, but it was starting to wear thin. I was hungry and tired, and wasn't sure how much longer I could go on.

Because my mind was more focused on my sore body and dented pride, I didn't notice the sizeable rock that lay I my path. My foot made contact with the rock and I fell forward onto my knees. My blaster flew from my hands as I put them out to brace my fall. I felt a fierce pain race through my legs and opened my mouth to cry out, but stopped the noise from escaping. A faint buzzing was coming from behind. A buzz like that from a drawn lightsaber.

I turned my head around and saw a young Jedi a few inches from me. His lightsaber was on and at the ready. He was no older than me and his face still had some of its boyish cuteness. His hair was short and the single braid behind his ear moved slightly in the breeze. His dark eyes (so much older than they should be) gazed down at me intensely. A tremor flowed down my body as I found that I could not tear away from them.

"Anakin, put your lightsaber away. She can do us no harm, "a voice said from the front of me. I swung my head around and found another Jedi a few years then the one behind me. His jaw was strong with just a hint of a beard, and his brown eyes were kind. In his hand was my blaster.

"We can not be so sure, master. " Anakin raised his lightsaber. I cried out, afraid of what he might do to me.

"Do as I say, Anakin," the older Jedi said. Anakin glared furiously at me for a moment and then turned off his lightsaber. I sighed with relief.

"Are you okay?" the Jedi asked me. I tried to tell him, yes, but my mouth wouldn't work. It was dry like a shriveled up bug, and I had to settle with giving him a nod. I rose from my knees slowly and the pain was like that of hell. I gritted my teeth and tried not to let my discomfort show. I didn't want to appear weak along with being clumsy.

"Anakin, don't be rude. Help her." Anakin made no move to do so. The older Jedi shook his head, clearly disappointed. He stepped toward me and held my arm as I made my way over the nearest wall. "I am so sorry. He isn't one of the politest padawans."

"Th-that's fine," I croaked out. "I'll be okay."

"Sure? Good. Here's your blaster." I took it from him and mumbled my thanks."And by the way my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is Anakin Skywalker." Anakin just barely glimpsed my way.

"Hello. I'm Delcesca Fillblade. Are you the two Jedi sent here to speak with my father, Pryor Fillblade?" I asked, rubbing my sore knees. The pain was dulling into a pulsing throb. The bruises were going to look horrible. Just a few more to add to the twenty or so that already covered my body.

"Yes, we are." Obi-Wan said.

"That's great. He'll be happy to speak with you. He's be itching to tell you the information that he stole from that Confederacy battleship."

"And we are excited to be getting it, but I believe it is unwise to be talking of such things in a place like this. Who knows what might be repeated to unfriendly ears, " Obi-Wan said. My ears began to turn a little red. I was embarrassed. I didn't like this Jedi telling me something I should have known. My father would be so disappointed if he found out that I was being so careless.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just...well...I have a bad habit of not being able to close my mouth on certain matters."

"Perfectly fine," Obi-Wan reassured me.

"Um...if you don't mind me asking, what took so long? We were expecting you weeks ago." Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a knowing look. I knew by it that they weren't going to tell me, at least not here. Maybe that was best.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter." I said mostly to break the sudden quiet."The most important thing is that you're here. We should be setting off. If we start now then we can get there by late nightfall. "

"You should rest." Obi-Wan said.

"No, I've been away from home for too long. My father and sisters must be worried about me. I want to get back as soon as possible."I started back the way I came.

"If you think that's best," Obi-Wan said, running over to help me as I limped. He hissed at Anakin to help, and reluctantly he walked over and did.

.


	2. Frustrating Authority

We reached Ithrec long after I had predicted. Night was wrapped around us like a thick shawl and the two Jedi wouldn't be able to speak with my father until the morning. I hated my stupid, injured legs. Time was precious and because of them I was wasting it. I felt like a huge let down as a medical droid tended to my wounds in. Later as I got into bed, the guilt continued to fester in my stomach as I tried to sleep. The sweet escape of dreaming didn't come to me for many, many hours. And by that time I was so out of it that it was more like being unconscious than asleep.

I woke late. My body was stiff as I dressed quickly. My maid, and best friend, tried to help, but I brushed her away.

"Delcesca, you must rest. There is no need to be in such a hurry," Elvestaid said, trying to keep my shoes from me. I leaped across the room at her and tackled her. We rolled around on the floor until I had her pinned and was able to grab my shoes. I put them on and then got up, huffing and puffing with her doing the same. We glared at each other for a moment and then burst out loud with laughter. We laughed for several moments before stopping to wipe the tears from our eyes.

"That was so unfair," Elvestaid said, sitting on my bed. "You've been trained."

I sat next to her. "You could have been too. You didn't have to become part of the help. I still don't understand why you did so."

Elvestaid brushed out the wrinkles in my sheets and avoided my eye. "I told you. I didn't want to be a burden on you and your father after my parents died."

"So you thought becoming part of the help would stop that? Not that you're a burden," I said. Elvestaid rolled her eyes at me, but didn't answer. We had been over this many times before and we each knew that we wouldn't be able to see eye to eye on the situation. I saw how it was beginning to upset her and decided to let the subject drop.

"Anyway, I need to get down to the main hall. I don't want to be late for—"

"Your father is in conference with one of the Jedi that came with you," Elvestaid said, cutting me off. "He told me to warn you not to disturb him." I jumped from the bed.

"No, he should have waited for me. He promised he would let me in on what was going on. He promised!" I yelled, rushing from the room. I ran down the many aisles with Elvestaid following close behind. I reached the main hall's doors in record time and tried to open them. The solid doors were locked. Damn!

"How could he do this to me?" I asked Elvestaid as she stepped up beside me. She put her hand on my shoulder.

"There are some things that must be kept from the princess. Even if she doesn't like it." She told me gently. I slumped to the floor and pouted.

"Well, it's not fair. Not one little bit."

"You're not the only one who isn't present in there," a voice called from the left of us. I turned my head along with Elvestaid to stare at the dark figure. I squinted at the voice, knowing it from somewhere, but my brain wasn't able to recognize where.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You don't remember? That's sad," the figure chuckled. Elvestaid gave me a puzzled look. I shrugged, still trying to place the voice. Then all at once it clicked.

"Anakin Skywalker!" I exclaimed.

"That it is," he said, stepping from the shadows. His face was softer than it had been yesterday, and he looked relaxed (though his eyes were still too old for his age). I stared at the change. It was nice. I felt myself begin to warm toward him. Something I never thought would happen in a million years.

"Are you a Jedi Knight?" Elvestaid asked from the clear blue. Her face was covered in admiring awe. I had to laugh at her surprise. She had never seen a Jedi before. To her they were just rumors and stories spoken about when all of Ithrec was gathered around a bonfire to gossip.

"I'm training to be one," Anakin said, trying to hold back his smile. It tugged at the corners of his darkish pink lips.

"Wow! What's it like?" Elvestaid blurted out. I slapped her on across her arm. "Ouch!! That hurt!"

"Don't ask those things. It's none of our business." I said, though secretly I was wondering the same thing.

"It's no problem," Anakin told her while he gave me a funny look. "It's quite difficult at times, but I love it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's an honor to be defending the universe." I noticed how his face fell just a bit when he said this, and how the words sounded a little rehearsed. But why would he say it if he didn't mean it. I had to wonder what secrets he was hiding deep inside.

"Why didn't Obi-Wan take you in? I know my father would want to speak with you, also." Elvestaid glared at me for distracting him away from her. I had to hide my grin. I could tell that she was falling for him. Her eyes were wide like the tea cups we used for tea, and her face was glowing. I loved how cute she looked, and didn't want to pop her happy little bubble by telling her that Jedi weren't allowed to love. It would have crushed her into a thousand little pieces.

"My master believes that I am still too young to be involved in matters such as these," Anakin said with slight anger in his voice.

"Then why bring you with him at all?" I asked. I was getting mad, too. Anakin seemed like a very mature person for our age. Maybe a little too mature. It wasn't right that he was being treated like an eight-year-old. I think I would stop talking to my father if he did that to me. Wait. Wasn't that what he 

was doing now? I folded my arms across my chest and slinked down farther along the giant pillar that I was leaning against.

"More pouting I see," Elvestaid teased me. I ignored her.

"Well, he is my master. I have to go where he goes."

"How does he expect you to grow and understand? If you're treated like a child then it will never happen. What kind of training is that?" I asked. I was steaming. Elvestaid rolled her eyes and got up.

"I can see that the two of you are going to be having a pretty intense conversation on how neither one of you are treated like the big thirteen-year-olds that you are, and I don't want to stick around to be bored. (No offense). Besides I have rooms to clean and things to wash." She turned to walk away. "Bye, Delcesca."

I waved at her back. "Bye."

"She is a…maid?" Anakin asked, after she had left. He looked very shocked. "How can you let her do that?"

I was taken aback. "You think I pushed her into being a maid?" I asked, not believing what I had just heard. "It was her choice. I tried to talk her out of it years ago, but she wouldn't listen to me. She can be very stubborn."

"Just like her friend." Anakin replied. I didn't let his comment bother me. I knew he meant well, and, plus, he was right. That was one of the reasons I hung out with Elvestaid. Her stubbornness was fun to challenge against mine. Yes, we got into quite a few fights over pretty pointless things, but our anger never lasted long. We understood each other, though I always had to wonder if something more than our stubbornness had brought us together. At a young age both of us had suffered some pretty harsh hardships. Maybe pain had bound us together. Maybe it was just Fate.

"How long have my father and Obi-Wan been in there?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I'd say a little more than an hour."

"Oh." I was hoping that it had only been a few minutes. If it had I would have gone racing through the doors and demanded to hear all that was being said. There was no doubt in my mind that my two older twin sisters, Triesa and Wilettal, were in there right now. It wasn't fair. Just because they were four years older than me did not make them more mature or smarter. I had been the one to find Obi-Wan and Anakin. I had brought them here to Ithrec. I was just as good as them, wasn't I?

"Don't look so sad. It makes the fire in your blazing green eyes go dim. I don't like it." Anakin said out of the clear blue. I gave him a startled look, and then blushed. I was never really good at receiving…compliments...from people. I always got embarrassed and turned a bright red, which caused me to get even more embarrassed. I guess it was because I preferred to either be by myself or in the 

company of only one other person that my social skills weren't as tuned as they could be. I blamed my father. He never pushed me to be social with others. He probably never gave it any thought when I was little because I wasn't the next in line to take over the ruling of Ithrec. I was just a backup child in case both Triesa and Wilettal died, though I didn't really mind. They could rule all they wanted. I was content in being on the sidelines.

"I…well…thanks for the tip." Anakin nodded his head. All of a sudden the doors to the main hall flew open and my father, Obi-Wan, and sisters came billowing out. My sisters took off down the aisle that led to their rooms, staying close to one another and talking very quietly. Obi-Wan came over to Anakin and motioned with his head to for him to move away from me and my father.

"Good-bye," Anakin said as Obi-Wan carted him away. "It was fun talking with you. Maybe I will speak with you again before we leave tomorrow."

"Likewise," I called after him, and under my breath I mumbled, "I doubt that we will see each other again." My father came over to me and coughed. I jumped up on to my feet and stood before him. His brown and weathered face was creased into many wrinkles, and his hazel eyes were clouded with worry. Whatever the Jedi had told him seemed to be causing him much more pain then the poverty problems of Ithrec. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him.

"What's wrong, father?"

"Things that I could have never foreseen," my father answered solemnly. "We are in deep water, Delcesca. Very, very deep water."

"Can we wade it out and fight?" I asked. My father shook his head. "What did the Jedi have to say, father?"

"He brought news stating that the Confederacy is bound and determined to make us pay for the damage we caused them and the information that we stole."

I bit my lip. "Can't they help protect us?"

My father sighed. "They have such a huge list of other things to watch over at this moment in time, and sadly Ithrec isn't on that list."

Tears began to form in my eyes. "What can we do? What will we tell everyone?" I begged to know. My father's shoulders sagged with defeat.

"We tell them that the time has come for us to except our destiny, and we will meet them with all the force that our small nation can muster. I do not want us to go out acting like cowards. I will not let us be remembered in such a shameful way."


End file.
